


Impure

by mystrangedarkson



Series: Sanders Sides Ficlets [10]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Homophobia, Human AU, M/M, Swearing, Transphobia, and important, and only like 5 words about roman, blood mention, but they're there, i love patton swearing fite me, just the state of blood, minor self-harm, not bleeding, only super brief mentions of virgil, really just logicality, that isn't actually anything like our blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-07-05 02:47:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15854664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mystrangedarkson/pseuds/mystrangedarkson
Summary: Blood is naturally clear and as thin as water. It darkens and thickens with each impure act.Patton has always dedicated himself to doing good and helping people- but suddenly his blood is black and so thick it doesn't drip.





	Impure

**Author's Note:**

> Hey look I'm not dead! Again, writing just hasn't been possible the last little while, but a discord I'm in had a writing competition, and so I wrote this to fill the prompt. Here you go!

"Ow! Crap!" Patton muttered as his needle splintered, piercing his finger. Dropping the beanie he was knitting to donate to his local homeless shelter, he held his hand up to the light to remove the bit of wood stuck in his finger. When black ooze squeezed through the wound, as it was far too thick to describe it any other way, he let out a series of decidedly impure swear words.

 

Everyone knew that everyone is born with clear blood that runs like water, and every rude, immoral, selfish, or impure act makes it darker and thicker. Some people, of course, didn't care, but and others, like Patton, did as much good as they could possibly do. The state of one's blood was, of course, not without consequences. Employers made hiring and pay decisions based on blood state, landlords could deny you a lease if your blood is too thick. However, this is not a problem for the vast majority of people. Studies showed that the average adult living a decent life, not doing anything atrocious, had blood like maple syrup- medium in color and slightly thicker than water.

 

Patton was not "the average adult". Even before he learned about what was colloquially known as "The Blood Thing", he did as much good as he possibly could. Three years ago, when he got his job and apartment, his blood was clean- the phlebotomist who drew the samples told him that they'd never seen an adult with blood so clean. _So what happened? I've been good! How could my blood go from clean to… this?_   There was only one way to find out- he needed to go to the Hall of Records, where every impure action is recorded.

-

Half an hour later, the Hall of Records loomed above him, cold and judgemental. He took a deep breath and walked through the heavy oak doors.

"Greetings. Welcome to the Hall of Records. How may I be of assistance?" Patton jumped, not noticing the man behind the reception desk.

"Howdy, Logan!", Patton said, reading the man's nameplate. "I'd love to take a little peek at my Record if I could. It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"It, um, is a pleasure to meet you as well. Most people don't want to look at their Record; they see it as a…. list of personal failures, as it were. May I ask why you'd like to see yours?" Logan seemed embarrassed to ask, and Patton couldn't help but notice how adorable the man's blush was.

"Of course, kiddo! There was just a little change in my blood, and I can't seem to think of what might have caused it."

"Hmm, I see. Very unusual. Yes, I would very much enjoy helping you solve this mystery."

"Ha! Solving a mystery! Like Sherlock Holmes!"

"I- I suppose one could see it that way," Logan replied, blushing even more, "Can I get your name, so we can locate your Record?"

"Oh my, so rude of me not to introduce myself! I'm Patton, Patton Sanders."

"Sanders? What a coincidence- my best friend's surname is also Sanders. First name Virgil; do you know him, by any chance?"

"Yes! He's my baby brother! Which means you must be the Records keeper he's always talking about! Man, he looks up to you so much. What a coincidence! Small world, eh?"

"He- he does? Highly illogical; I am, as they say, a 'disaster gay'. Perhaps I should talk to him, clear up this obvious confusion." Logan muttered.

"Oh no, I've mucked it all up, haven't I? Please don't tell him I told you that; he'd never forgive me."

"Very well, I would hate to sow familial strife. Now, shall we go retrieve your Record?"

"Thank you so much, kiddo! Yes, please! Allons-y!"

"D- Doctor Who?"

"Yes!! Virge never told me you're a Whovian too! Isn't Ten just the best? He's just so- oh my, look at me, going on when we have work to do!"

"In- indeed. If you'll follow me, your Record is this way." If Patton noticed how well Logan filled out his dress slacks, well, his blood couldn't get much worse, could it?

A few minutes later, Logan stopped at one of the immense bookcases and grabbed a thin volume clearly labeled "Patton Sanders".

"Here we are- your Record."

"It's so thin! How could my blood be- never mind."

"Patton, I know we just met, but there seems to be more going on than simple curiosity about a small change in your blood. May I ask what's truly going on?"

"I- okay. Virge trusts you, and I trust his judgment. The last time my blood was checked, three years ago, my blood was clean. I'm not bragging, it just was. I pricked my finger this morning, and my blood is black sludge. I can't figure out what I did so wrong, and a Record this thin… I must have done something truly horrible, and I don't know if I can live with myself if I did something that bad. What you don't know can't hurt you."

"Falsehood. If I may, ignorance is not bliss. Knowledge is an incomparably valuable multi-purpose tool that is instrumental in identifying and solving any problem. If you're worried about getting hurt, then seek knowledge. It is our greatest weapon... and our greatest defense. I strongly believe that it is best that you know, and if it truly is as bad as you fear, you have the support of your brother… and me."

"Wow, Logan, that was beautiful. You're right. Okay, let's see what happened." Patton opened the book, and across the first page, in big, bold, red letters, simply read "GAY". He frantically flipped through the rest of the pages- _Yeah, I came out last year, but this can't be it. It's not impure or wrong to be gay. Love is love. They're wrong. There must be something else._ And there was. On the final page, even bigger text read, "TRANSGENDER".

"No! No. NO. This is wrong. This is what's wrong. Not me. This isn't fair, this isn't correct. NO." Patton screamed, a yell of pure rage and frustration and pain.

"Pa- Patton? What happened?" Logan asked, voice soft and concerned.

"Here. Look at it. Apparently, I'm the worst kind of person, someone who deserves this filth in my veins, for being gay and nonbinary."

"WHAT? No. Impossible. This can't be."

"Who even decides what's 'pure' or not? What asshole decided that I'm so disgusting?"

"I- I don't know. I've never been able to find any concrete information. This can't be. Then I... " Logan took his keys from his pocket, white as a sheet. With a small cry of pain, he drew his key across his arm, drawing blood. But it was hardly blood. It was sludge, barely flowing, practically a solid.

"Oh, Logan. Mine is the same. This is unfair. Is there anything we can do? You're so smart, do you know if there's an appeals process or anything?"

"Oh, um, uh, that's really sweet of you, Patton. And, uh, not- not that I know of. We don't even know who we could appeal to." Logan stuttered, blushing furiously.

"Okay, well, then there's only one thing we can do, as I see it."

"What is that?"

"Fuck the system. I've been living for the cleanest blood I can, but apparently, that's impossible given who I am. So fuck it. I'm done living for the system. From this point on, I live for myself. Do good because it's a good thing to do, not worry every second about doing something wrong."

"That sounds excellent. Perhaps we can spread the word about this, raise awareness. Obviously, the powers that be keep tabs on us; if we can create enough public outcry, they might change their minds."

"Logan that's brilliant! I could kiss you! And I know where to start! My friend Roman is an actor- maybe I can get him to say something, use his position of influence to start the conversation!"

"That… sounds like an excellent plan. And, uh, for the record, I would not necessarily be opposed to you kissing me."

"I…"

"Pardon me. That was unprofessional and completely uncalled for and I apologize. I don't know what came over me- I understand if you don't want to see-" Logan was cut off by Patton's lips against his, sweet and brief.

"It didn't make me uncomfortable. I like you, Logan, and if we're gonna have this crap in our veins, we might as well deserve it. Let me give you my number, and let's get dinner some time?"

"I'd love that."

\----

Ultimately, nothing changed. LGBT+ people still had the worst blood anyone had ever seen. But society changed. Over the years, the Love is Clean campaign got politicians elected who made blood analysis for jobs, housing, and anything else illegal. People, in general, stopped caring about their blood. Some still did, of course, but overall, Patton Sanders and Logan Fowler, along with Virgil Sanders and Roman Prince, made the world a better place. Both pairs lived happily ever after, knowing they'd done more good with the worst blood than anyone with blood like water.


End file.
